Dr. John Hartmann

1 Thessalonians 5:17 serves as the foundation for this encouraging word to pray. Dr. Hartmann reminds us that troubling times are coming and we are not going to be able to persevere unless we do so. Because there is opposition and darkness in the earth even as
1 John 4:1-4 describes the spirit of anti-Christ currently in the world today. This spirit of Antichrist seeks to act like the Antichrist described in Daniel 7:25 that seeks to wear out the saints of the Most High.

Dr. Hartmann uses Psalm 9:10 to exhort the saints to know God’s character and put their trust in Him. Romans 15:4-6 is a prayer that Dr. Hartmann has been praying for the saints namely that God will strengthen his people and encourage them.

Perseverance in prayer is taught in the parable of the widow and the judge in Luke 18:1-8. Now sometimes people pray for the wrong things. James 4:2-7 says sometimes unanswered prayer is because we pray according to our own desires instead of according to the will of God. Sometimes it is really good to not get prayers answered that are not according to His will. As a matter of fact, sometimes it is a form of God’s judgment to give people their desires.

Instead we should be acting as Jesus is described in Psalm 40:6-8. Jesus delighted to do God’s will. We too need to delighted in doing God’s will.

God wants us to be partakers of His holiness. He chastens so that we can be partakers of his holiness.

Prayer is critical in the last days. Luke 21:34-36 exhorts us to not let our hearts be carried away with the cares of this life or abandon the faith. Instead we need to be in prayer. 1 Peter 4:7 exhort us to be sober and watch unto prayer.

Colossians 4:2-4 cents to devote yourselves to prayer. This means that we must put time into it, keep alert, and maintain an attitude of gratitude. A critical prayer elements requires us to ask God to open a door for His Word to go forth.

Matthew 6:9-13 is the account of what is called the Lords Prayer. It is a good model of prayer.

Matthew 7:7-11 & Luke 11:5-13 teach us to ask seek and knock. God wants to give you good things. Be importunate and shameless like the guy asking his neighbor for a loaf of bread to feed his guest.

Matthew 21-12-13 says God’s house is to be a house of prayer. A house of prayer requires a people of prayer, not merely a program of prayer.

Some reasons God want us to pray include but are not limited to having communion with him, growing in our trust towards God, and to participate in his work.

Dr. Hartmann closes with an exhortation to persevere in prayer until Jesus returns. He reminds us that Isaiah 62:6-7 states that God has appointed watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem that will not give God any rest until Jerusalem is a praise in the earth. This can only happen when Jesus has returned and is ruling in Jerusalem. If you are one of those watchmen, Scripture commands you to keep praying. Zechariah 12-14 describes what will happen when Jesus comes again. The conditions that precede the return of the Lord are described in what is called “Isaiah’s little apocalypse” in Isaiah 24-29. It is not a pleasant picture. The prayers of the saints are a part of what appears to be required for God’s final judgments to be poured out on the Earth according to Revelation 5-8.

So, pray without ceasing!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download